


Lightning Always Strikes Twice

by the_space_ace



Series: Dream SMP Fantasy AU [3]
Category: Minecraft (Video Game), Video Blogging RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Family Dynamics, Fire, Found Family, Gen, fundy and niki are basically siblings, switching POVs, technically
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-02
Updated: 2020-11-02
Packaged: 2021-03-09 04:21:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,985
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27338617
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/the_space_ace/pseuds/the_space_ace
Summary: Not much registered in her mind other than the tears steadily falling down her face, the burning in her lungs, and the warmth coming from the raging fire. In the midst of her horror, Niki felt a brief moment of clarity."Fundy!" she yelled, practically sobbed, as the flames ate away at her home.or, Niki's home burns for the second time.
Relationships: Floris | Fundy & Niki | Nihachu, No Romantic Relationship(s)
Series: Dream SMP Fantasy AU [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1994728
Comments: 1
Kudos: 53





	Lightning Always Strikes Twice

Niki isn’t quite sure about how it began.

One second she was in the kitchen, finishing up the last of her tasks before she went to bed, and the next thing she knew, the pleasant scent of lavender that she associated with her pub was being overpowered by the unmistakable smell of smoke.

There wasn’t much to worry about at the time. She’d assumed that the smell was coming from the oven or it would just be another one of Fundy’s potions turning out wrong. She went back to cleaning and didn’t catch onto the fact that something was extremely wrong until she stepped out of the kitchen and saw the front of her store being consumed by flames. 

As she stared at the flames climbing up the walls and devouring the wood, she was reminded of a forest. A forest being completely ravaged by fire, trees falling down around her and animals fleeing. She was reminded of a home being destroyed, of the quickly blackening walls and the burning roof. She was reminded of thick smoke entering her lungs, stealing all of the clean air.

Niki tried to will herself to move, but her legs were rooted to their spot. As the fire spread quicker and quicker, the part of her begging her to just fucking move finally won. In seconds, she was running out the back door. Her lungs already felt like they were coated with ash, each breath coming out more choked then the last even as she made it outside.

There was a crowd forming in front of the pub, watching her home and livelihood being destroyed. Niki’s heart ached as she looked at the destruction. It seemed so much worse from this angle, every visible inch covered in flames.

It was when she finally caught her breath that the tears began. She was losing her only home once again and in the same exact fashion: to unforgiving flames. Niki was witnessing her hopes and dreams burn for the second time. Her heart was pounding, adrenaline coursing through her veins as she continued to watch the pub burn in horror.

Niki thought she could hear people yelling for help.

Not much registered in her mind other than the tears steadily falling down her face, the burning in her lungs, and the warmth coming from the raging fire. In the midst of her horror, Niki felt a brief moment of clarity.

"Fundy!" she yelled, practically sobbed, as the flames ate away at her home.

Fundy was still in there. Oh Gods, oh no, oh fuck. She should’ve woken him up before running out. Niki was sobbing, hoping and praying to whoever was out there that Fundy was safe. She needed him safe. What would she do if she lost Fundy? She could handle losing her pub; buildings could always be rebuilt. If Fundy was gone, she’d never get him back. Everything that made her everyday special would be gone.

There would be no late night or early morning talks where they both share things they’d never told anyone else. Niki would no longer be able to take a look in the corner to see Fundy working diligently on a new batch of potions, eyes serious and focused in a way they rarely are. She wouldn’t be able to hear his off-tune singing on their off days that would be spent cleaning. The odd yet always present smell of rain and gardenias would be gone forever.

Niki would be losing her brother.

That single thought hurt more than any wound ever could.

=+=

Fundy was never one to react calmly in dangerous situations. He’s always been the type to try and flee the situation, never putting much thought into how he’d actually achieve that.

When he awoke and was faced with fire creeping up his wall, the same was true.

His mind and body were on two separate pages. While his brain was yelling at him to escape, his body was struggling to wake itself up. Fundy’s limbs were still heavy with sleep. As he rushed to get as far from the fire as possible, he kept tripping over himself. 

It felt like the fire was taunting him, coming closer but never close enough for him to feel any burn. There was so much going on, so much that he couldn’t process. Fundy desperately tried to remember what to do in this situation, but nothing was coming up. As he felt his back harshly collide with the weakening wood underneath him, Fundy was sure this is where he’d die. It was gradually getting harder to breath, the smoke taking up more and more of his available air. 

He struggled to get back up and as he stood up on unsteady feet, covering his nose and mouth as well as he could, Fundy could only think of Niki. Had she gotten out? Was she trapped like he was? Was she already dead?

Fundy felt his stomach drop, the thought of Niki dead making him abandon any thought of his own survival.

Finding Niki quickly became his priority.

The issue was finding a way to get to her without killing himself in the process. He could, realistically, go through the door and try to walk through the flames. It’s be a miracle if he survived for more than a couple minutes. He could also jump out his window and find Niki that way. That could leave him injured and unable to get to Niki. When he heard the panicked voices of people below, he knew he’d have to make a decision quickly.

Fundy looked behind him, his mind made up.

He was out the window in a few seconds and on the ground shortly after. The drop ended up hurting him more than he thought it would, his limited air being knocked out of his lungs. There was so much that hurt, most notably his legs.

Niki. He needed to get to Niki. He had to find her, to make sure she was safe. She had to be safe. He’d tear this whole fucking kingdom down if she wasn’t safe.  
Sitting up took more of Fundy’s energy than he thought it would, his arms shaking and his back aching. “Fuck.” His predicament was finally dawning on him. He wouldn’t be able to reach Niki. The pain he felt was nearly blinding. He couldn’t-

Fundy fell, his arms giving out. His back collided with ground and all his body could understand was the immense pain he was in. He looked at his burning home; he wished he could stand up and do something, but he couldn’t. Maybe jumping out that stupid window wasn’t the best choice.

He didn’t know when he began crying. The tears wouldn’t stop, especially when he thought of Niki. He couldn’t help her. Fundy failed her. He promised to protect her, to keep her safe from the dangers the world had to offer. She deserved better.

There’s a small thought in his head, pestering him and making the guilt tearing at his chest a million times worse. Fundy blamed himself for the fire, thinking of it as some sort of divine intervention. The gods were never a fan of him staying settled; maybe this fire was a sign that Fundy had finally outstayed his welcome. He’d gotten too comfortable in the safety and warmth of L’Manberg. He didn’t deserve any of it.

He closed his eyes, not finding any energy to distance himself from the fire. There were people coming closer, Fundy’s sure of it. The worried chatter was coming near. Maybe they’d help him; maybe they’d do what he couldn’t and find Niki.

“Fundy!” That’s Niki’s voice, he was sure of it. She sounded far away and in pain. His heart ached and he wished he could help her, to do something to make this better for her. He couldn’t. He couldn’t and he hated himself because of it.

“Niki!” Fundy yelled back, hoping that she could hear him. 

=+=

Niki was taken to the hospital, one of her neighbors practically carrying her the whole way there. Her legs wouldn’t cooperate, begging her to stay and wait for Fundy. If she could’ve, she would’ve stayed there until she saw Fundy.

Everything felt blurred together in a way that made Niki feel sick. Time was moving too fast yet too slow. It was all too much, but also not enough. She knew a doctor spoke to her, checked to make sure she was healthy; she just didn’t register anything being said. They gave her water and something to eat. Niki’s not sure if she consumed any of it or not. 

Her heart felt like it was caving in on itself, crushing her lungs in the process. Every time her eyes closed, Niki was reminded of the flames and of Fundy; the mental image that her mind supplied of his body burnt and destroyed making her stomach turn.. He yelled her name, he heard her. She needed to know if he got out. She needed to see him. She needed to hear his voice, to hear his laugh. 

A nurse came in to check in on Niki at some point, the pity on their face making her want to curl up and disappear. “People are already talking about helping you fix up your pub,” the nurse said, the words doing little to ease Niki, “No one wants to see that place gone, y’know. Good food, good people, good energy. It’d be hard to try and recreate the original building, of course, but I think they can do it.”

Niki nodded. She wanted to tell the nurse that she didn’t care much about the pub, now. She wanted to tell them that the pub would never be the same without Fundy.

“Well, Niki, seems you’re still in pretty good shape, physically. I’ll leave and let you get some rest.” And in a few seconds, Niki was left alone again.

The first fire Niki’d experienced hurt her, taking away the forest that gave her life. The only mother and home she’d known at that point was taken in minutes. She got the chance to recover, to regain that part of her that felt missing. Of course she’d get unlucky, losing everything once again. She’d lost her second home and the closest thing to a sibling she’s ever had. 

So much for lightning never striking twice; what a load of bullshit.

Niki wasn’t the religious type, finding more comfort in the safety nature provided her, but something had her spending any free second praying to some higher being that Fundy was safe and breathing. She needed all the reassurance she could get.

=+=

“Please, I need to-”

“If you move too much, you can make your injuries worse.” The doctor’s grip on Fundy’s shoulder was tight, forcing him to remain on the cot he was laying on. There was something encasing his arm and Fundy wasn’t a fan of the restricted movement. It made him nervous, putting him on edge for reasons he couldn’t explain.

“I don’t think you understand,” Fundy said, voice hoarse and weakened from his coughing, “I need to know if Niki got out, I need to know if she’s safe, please.”

The doctor sighed. They’d been dealing with Fundy and his pleas for the past ten minutes. “I can have someone check if she’s been brought to the hospital, but you have to remain still. Your body’s already in enough pain as it is.”

“I’ll be as still as I can be.”

The doctor left Fundy warily, giving him one more glance before leaving the room. Fundy truly did his best to keep still but it was difficult, especially with all the nervous energy that was building up in his limbs. His mind was racing. It gave him no silence, throwing scenario after scenario at him until it all became too much.

The hospital room felt as if it was shrinking as Fundy pictured someone coming in and telling him that Niki had died in the fire. His breathing sped up, his heart pumping as if he had run a marathon. Niki couldn’t be-

But if she was, it’d be his fault. Fundy was convinced of it. He didn’t go back for her. The guilt felt like it was suffocating his every thought. He could’ve done something. He should’ve pushed past his pain, if only to assure that Niki would survive. He would’ve laid his life down to make sure Niki got out, _he fucking should’ve_.

The cast on his arm was becoming too much, making Fundy feel more trapped than he previously was. He wanted to break it, to rip it off and throw it as far away as he could. He wanted to get out of the stupid sheets of the hospital bed. There was so much, maybe even too much.

Fundy couldn’t calm himself down; the absolute fear and grief he felt had taken hold of his heart and lungs. His mind was racing as he thought up scenario after scenario, none of which had a happy ending.

He’d have to leave after he was discharged from the hospital. Fundy was sure that he couldn’t handle living in L’Manberg anymore. Every day would feel empty, would make the weight settling on his heart even worse.

In the midst of his panic, Fundy barely registered someone pushing a glass of water into his hands. He’s not even sure he properly processed when they basically forced him to drink the water. It helped his heart rate return to normal and it helped him return to the present (though it didn’t fully take him away from his fears).

“Fundy,” the doctors said his name in a tone that felt like they were talking to a child (Fundy hated it), “I’ve asked around a little bit.”

“About Niki?”

“Yes.”

Any effect the glass of water had on Fundy was gone as quickly as it came. Every scenario he’d imagined was coming back to the front of his mind, making themselves so very loudly known.

“She’s fine. She hasn’t sustained any physical injuries though there’s a chance that she could develop a few breathing issues, same with you.”

And Fundy’s heart stopped.

And his mind went blank.

And his breathing nearly slowed to a complete stop.

_Niki was okay._

He immediately broke down crying, tears falling down his face without any mercy or hesitation. Gods, she was okay. He’d be able to see her again, to see her smile and laugh as if nothing had happened. They’d be able to rebuild their home, to live their lives like they always did.

“I know you might want to see her, but she’s asleep right now. The nurse watching over her said they’ll send her over when she wakes up.”

When Fundy nodded, the doctor left him alone. 

Fundy felt exhausted, emotionally and physically. He didn’t lose Niki; that fact was enough to make him feel better than ever.

=+=

Niki was sure she’d never run this fast before. Nothing was as important as this, she reasoned.

The stark white of the hospital walls blended with the various colors of the doors as she ran through the hallways. Niki ignored the annoyed words of the people she passed, paying them no mind. She needed to get to Fundy’s hospital room as soon as she could. She needed to feel his heart beat, to see the rise and fall of his chest.

The room number played on repeat in Niki’s head, those three simple numbers meaning more to her than anything else ever could. 253; the key to finding her only family.

When Niki reached the door she needed, she didn’t hesitate to open it. She was out of breath and her legs felt sore, but she couldn’t care less. There was Fundy, looking like hell but alive. She was by his side in seconds, resisting the urge to hug him.

Niki grinned, a laugh escaping her as relief crashed over her. “You’re okay, you’re alive.” She was crying, relief and pure happiness overpowering anything else.

Fundy wasn’t any better than she was, furiously wiping away his own tears as he tried to form a sentence. “So are you. I can’t-I can’t, Niki, I’m so- you’re-” He cut himself off with a sob that Niki felt to her very core. “I thought you were dead.”

There’s a hand resting lightly on her cheek and a thumb wiping away the tears that won’t stop. Niki’s smile was watery as she rested her hand on Fundy’s, so very glad that she’s able to faintly feel his pulse. They both couldn’t find the strength to actually speak, instead finding comfort in the small actions they were used to doing.

“I’m glad you’re alive,” Niki spoke softly, her words echoing every emotion she was feeling.

Fundy nodded before speaking in practically the same tone as Niki, “I’m glad you’re alive, too. I was so worried. When they told me you were alive and okay, I just-” Another sob, this one far more painful to hear than the first. Niki felt her heart break, wishing she could make it so Fundy’d never have to cry this way again.

“Is it okay if I hug you?”

“Of course.”

“You sure?”

“I’m sure.”

When Niki hugged him, she nearly broke down again. It was so reassuring to be able to hold Fundy again. She could feel nearly every breath he took, no matter how deep or shallow. And when his arms settled around her waist, Niki had never felt more safe.

In the arms of her brother, Niki didn’t have to worry about what would happen to them. She didn’t need to worry about how they’d make money or where they’d live. All she needed to know was that they were both still breathing, safe in each other’s arms and able to face another day side by side.

**Author's Note:**

> this was fueled by my friend and my strong want to explore a Niki & Fundy sibling dynamic


End file.
